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Archive for the ‘warsaw’ Category

Before I talk about who did what today at Roland Garros, it seems apposite to quickly mention the ladies who won titles this weekend. First up, some much-needed match wins for Maria Sharapova, who defeated Kristina Barrois to take the Strasbourg title.

She’s going to need whatever momentum and confidence she’s gained, considering her loaded section of the draw. Best of luck to her in Paris.

Meanwhile in Warsaw Alexandra Dulgheru underlined how far she’s come in a year, defending the title she won last year as a qualifier by defeating Zheng Jie in the final.

Better take quick stock of what’s happening in the tournaments I’ve totally ignored so far this week in an attempt to ready myself for Roland Garros … In Warsaw, after the exits of Elena Dementieva and Caroline Wozniacki, it’s all about the Chinese ladies who could face each other in the final. Zheng Jie will face qualifier Greta Arn, who took out Alona Bondarenko in three sets, while defending champion Alexandra Dulgheru – who has parlayed last year’s surprise victory into a solid 2010 clay season – faces Li Na.

In Strasbourg things were a bit more of a damp squib. Kristina Barrois and Vania King (yes – the tiny American girl) are already through to the semis in straight sets, but Maria Sharapova and Anabel Medina Garrigues were both rained off and will have to complete their quarterfinals tomorrow.

According to this article and the translation supplied on tennisforum.com, Elena Dementieva may be questioned by the WTA after her 75 46 64 loss to Tsetvana Pironkova in Warsaw yesterday. Polish Eurosport alleges she had a plane ticket to Paris booked before her match.

I don’t believe it, if only because I don’t feel like a torturous early loss for Demmy is an unusual enough event to require any kind of special circumstances to explain it. But there’s definitely something up with her, and I won’t be expecting too much from her in Paris. (Of course, that’s traditionally when she comes up with the goods.)

Speaking of Roland Garros and low expectations, Caroline Wozniacki was forced to retire a set down to Li Na in Warsaw today. She’s reportedly optimistic about playing in Paris, and I’d be stunned if she didn’t. Still, it’s a worrying thing to happen the week before a Slam.

So, Warsaw, Dusseldorf, Kitzbuhel and Strasbourg all had their finals today.

As I said elsewhere, I know these tournaments don’t get much attention. (Even from me.) The build-up to Roland Garros, the lack of big names and seeds in the finals … But do you think it matters to the winners today, that we snobby tennis fans will be placing mental asterixes next to their wins? Not a bar of it.

So big props to the soft-haired Serbs in Dusseldorf, the qualifier Dulgheru in Warsaw, Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in Kitzbuhel, and Aravane Rezai in Strasbourg. Well done indeed.

That said, I didn’t watch any of the matches so just have some pictures.

Little-known Armada tugboat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez upset Mikhail Youzhny to book a place in the final, where he’ll face the Queen of Spain (go with it) Julien Benneteau in a clash that tournament organisers are already billing as “… who?”

Let’s hear it for plucky Romanian qualifier Alexandra Dulgheru! Her name might abbreviate to “dul”, but her game certainly isn’t. Apparently, as she upset sixth seed and perpetual disappointment Daniela Hantuchova for a place in the final. She’ll face Alona Bondarenko, a finalist back in 2007, who knocked out Britland fave and all-round Tim Anne Keothavong in straight sets – on the same day that Keo drew Safina as a first round opponent at Roland Garros. Double trouble.

So I’m instituting a new kind of YFB blogging. To be referred to as “WYNTK” – pronounced like ‘wink’ with some sort of weird guttural glottal stop at the end – and solely to be used when I’m in no condition to produce the kind of substantive, critical analysis you’re used to getting. Like a ‘get out of jail free’ card … except for bloggers with mild alcoholism.

Warsaw

So the big news is that Shazza’s comeback tournament came to an end at the hands of Alona Bondarenko, 62 62.

I think it’s safe to say Shazza’s competitive spirit has not died. How far that can carry her – if her serve is going to be as weak as has been indicated this week – remains to be seen. But an excellent win for Bondarenko nonetheless.

For some reason, it took Dani three sets to subdue Zakapalooza. Keo, however, was in no mood to mess around, beating Raluca Olaru 60 61 in a British blitz. C’mon Tim!

Defending champion Anabel Medina Garrigues was forced to withdraw today with a back injury. From her player blog:

It was a disappointing day today. I was playing a point and hurt my back, and I had to retire from the match. I’ve had this problem before – twice last year. It’s painful and makes your back very stiff. The good news is it usually takes three or four days of treatment and it heals, so I will be fine for Roland Garros. I’ll have treatment on it until the day I play my first match there, of course.

It’s too bad this happened at one of my favorite tournaments. I’m always happy to come to Strasbourg, and I’ll be back next year of course. These things happen though. Hopefully it will be fine in a few days like it was the last time. I’m leaving for Paris tomorrow afternoon. I always love going back to Roland Garros.

So today was reasonably uneventful in Warsaw (i.e. Keo and Masha weren’t playing).

Daniela Hantuchova survived a tough three-setter with Nuria Llagostera Vives. Vives has never beaten Dani, but she came out really strong and aggressive, and Dani was rocked for a while there. Luckily she served well, which kept her in the match, and figured out eventually how to mix up her tactics to keep Vives off-balance. A good win for her, requiring a lot of mental toughness.

And proving that every tournament worth its salt has at least one Radwanska, the smaller sister Urszula had a good win over Koryttseva in three sets.